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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

20 Children and Counting........

Breaking news today is that the Duggars are expecting baby # 20 in April 2011. She is 45 years old. This will be the biggest gap between any of their children - the 19th child was born in 2009.

I know children are a blessing from the Lord and everyone should have their quiver full - so some may have one, some four, some none, but 20? I have a brother that has 5 and a good friend that has 7.

I come from a large family - they were 9 of us. I saw the work involved in maintaining a large family; a huge amount of the physical work of rearing children fell on my mother. My father was the one who worked outside the home and was the disciplinarian. I remember as a child, that laundry was never done. Guess who had to fold baskets of cloth diapers in those days? I HATED IT. My mother didn't seemed to thrilled about all the work involved either. House work was never ending. She loved us but didn't seem happy about the toll it took on her.

These thoughts colored my perceptions when I got married. I knew going in that I DID NOT want 9 children. My husband came from a family of 2 and initially wanted 5! After 3, we both agreed that was enough. We have four children - our quiver is full.

Honestly, it always rubs me the wrong way when I read of the Duggars. It seems excessive and extreme. I don't really understand why families put their lives under the microscope by being on TV constantly. I take no issue with their financial situation - just the fact that they keep having children, even if it is a blessing from God.

Ultimately, a couple’s motives for how many children they have are between them and God - I know this in my heart.

Without castigating the Duggars, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Can one have too many blessings? If you came from a large family, do you now have a large family?

I'm the oldest of 4. My husband and I have one child with no plans to add another. I cannot imagine being mother to 20 children, I just cannot. I do think that children are blessings from God. I don't think they are God's only blessing so I choose to receive my blessings in other forms!

I came from a family with 3 kids and I have one. I am happy with my one and feel extremely blessed. I don't envy a family with 20 kids, however I don't judge them. I just pray that their family is happy and financially able to care for everyone.

I am from a family of 2, my brother and myself however I have 6 children. I adore my family but it has been challenging raising a family that large from a financial standpoint as well as an emotional, mental and physical one as well. I know that children are a blessing but I think the Duggars have been well blessed with children and they should just stop.

My question is how do you have time to spend any of it with the kids?! The kids are basically taking care of each other which is what makes me sad. It's good to procreate but I also see a lot of kids that are not emotionally connected because parents just don't have the time for them!

Thanks so much for visiting me first of all. Optimistic Mom is quite the connector!!! I come from a small family. Only child to a single parent mom. Same with my hubby. I'm not a large family personality but I don't have an issue with large families. My mother however was 1 of 8 and hated it and always said she was having one kid... so said...